Most Humane Societies began as organizations devoted to the prevention of cruelty of animals (and children, in some cases), and many were started in response to public cruelty to draft and farm animals. However, many people think of their local Humane Society as an animal shelter where they can find a homeless dog or cat to adopt, or where they can bring an animal they can no longer keep.

Many Humane Societies contract with their local governments to shelter the stray dogs and cats in the communityl. Other Humane Societies have chosen to handle only animals released by their owners, in order to avoid local government regulations and rules that may go against their own philosophy.

What this often means is that your local Humane Society is not the only place to find a dog or cat to adopt. There are also animal control shelters, private shelters, and breed rescue groups.

This page is devoted to helping you find your local Humane Society shelter. Most of these websites give you pictures and descriptions of their dogs and cats, so you can see if they have the dog or cat you’re looking for. However, most websites are not kept up-to-date, so there may be more dogs available for adoption than you see in the pictures. And the picture you fall in love with may already be adopted by someone else. Please call ahead if you want to avoid disappointment.

It is quite interesting to look at the dogs available in different localities. You’ll notice that large dogs tend to be available in urban shelters, while smaller, pet-sized dogs are often available in rural shelters. Some humane societies do not allow adoptions out of the area, but many do. Be sure to call ahead to make sure.

While many Humane Societies have web pages, there are others that don’t. We list only the shelters that can be visited online. If you don’t see your local shelter listed, please visit it in person, or give them a call. They’ll be listed in the phone book.